Division II will have a new champion in 2009: 2009 DII football preview

Zac Jackson, OhioHSsports.com, August 26, 2009 11:27 a.m.

WHAT'S NEW: Plenty. Last year's champion (Sylvania Southview) and runner-up (Cincinnati Anderson) are gone to D1. Perennial title contenders Columbus DeSales, Columbus Watterson and Hoban are gone to D3. Last year's D3 champ, Aurora, moves up, as does Walsh Jesuit.  There's been some shuffling among the regions, too, and the result is top contenders Toledo Central Catholic, Avon Lake and Lexington playing in Region 6 and Winton Woods appearing to be at the head of the class in R8. Walsh, Aurora, Akron Garfield, Mentor Lake Catholic, Ashland and Canfield make R5 both deep and wide open.

REGION BY REGION: A glance at some of the top players and top teams…

5: Walsh, Aurora and Medina Highland all suffered heavy graduation losses but return enough to be listed among the top contenders. Walsh will need a big season from Cameron Ontko, a FB/LB and Wisconsin recruit, to survive a brutal schedule. It's a similar situation for Akron Garfield, which features one of the state's most dangerous runners in Tyson Gulley but must navigate Hoban, SVSM and Massillon and win the City Series to get in. Tyson's sophomore brother, Toneo, is also a star in the making. Barberton is a darkhorse with a pair of Ohio University recruits, QB Kyle Snyder and WR Thad Ingol, leading a talented offense. The Magics' Week Three game with Kent Roosevelt  is a big one for both schools.

6: Courtney Avery makes Lexington go, and the goal is to go all the way to Massillon for the state title game.  Plenty of talent returns on defense, too, for coach B.J. Payne. Avon Lake has the size and talent to excel as the Shoremen play the power game as well as anyone and will be a very tough out come November. Toledo Central Catholic returns plenty from a team that was 10-0 in the regular season before being upset in the playoffs. Among the darkhorse contenders in this region: Parma Normandy, Bedford, Maumee and Olmsted Falls.

7: Louisville graduated a ton of talent but returns Bobby Swigert and has established itself a consistent program; with DeSales gone, there's no reason to think the Leopards won't at least challenge for the regional crown. With three-year starter Patrick Angle back at QB, Logan is a heavy favorite in the SEOAL and would love another shot at Louisville in the postseason. There's a talented crowd in Columbus, too, that includes D1 dropper Brookhaven, Dublin Scioto and Dublin Jerome. Uniontown Lake might be good enough to play deep into November, but the Blue Streaks have to survive a Federal League schedule loaded with D1 big boys to get there. Their opener with neighboring Green this Friday is a huge computer-point game.

8: Winton Woods will run it right at you, to the outside with QB Dominique Brown on the inside with Jeremiah Goins, a  235-pounder who ran for more than 1,300 yards last year and is looking to make it three-straight 1,000-yard seasons.  With Cincinnati Anderson gone to D1, the Warriors are heavy favorites in this region. Cincinnati Turpin hopes to play spoiler, though, and the Spartans return 14 starters to a program that's looking to make its fifth-straight playoff appearance. Kings Mills Kings graduated the core of its team that eliminated Turpin before losing to Winton Woods last year. Other potential contenders include Trenton Edgewood and Piqua.

FAB FIVE: These are by no means the top five players in Div. II, but they are five whose play will go a long way towards determining who's still standing the first weekend of December.

Courtney Avery, QB, Lexington - Four-year starter and Michigan commit is as good an athlete as we'll see at any level. He threw 26 TD and just 3 INT last year.

Dominique Brown, QB/DB, Winton Woods - He's committed to stay home and play his college football at the University of Cincinnati, but first he wants to help Winton Woods win its first state title.

Tyson Gulley, RB/DB, Akron Garfield  - He's a big-play machine, and he's being recruited by schools nationwide. If a young line can develop quickly, he could flirt with 2,000 yards and carry the Rams into the postseason.

Jake Squirek, RB/LB, Normandy - Maybe the best player many haven't heard of; he'll run behind a big, experienced line this fall and is a game-changer on defense.

Bobby Swigert, QB/WR/DB, Louisville - He's a lockdown corner who will move to quarterback at least part of the time. His nose for the ball and big-play ability are why the likes of Nebraska, Michigan and Stanford are after his services.

STEPPING OUT: Five intersectional matchups to watch that should provide a good gauge of where perceived contenders actually stand

Week 2:Dublin Scioto at Toledo Central Catholic: Scioto plays a lot of Div. I schools and will have its chances to get enough wins to make the postseason. Getting one here, though, in the battle of the Irish would stamp Scioto as a true contender.

Week 3:North Canton Hoover (D1, R2) at Lexington: Mr. Football Erick Howard against a Lexington program that's been on a steady rise? There's a reason tickets will be tough to come by.

Week 3:Akron Hoban (D3, R9) at Louisville: The Leopards dominated Hoban last year and will again have a chance to reel in a bunch of computer points.

Week 4:Winton Woods at Columbus Watterson (D3, R10): This is a top matchup statewide and could be one of the few times all regular season that Winton Woods is challenged.

Week 4: Walsh Jesuit at Lake Catholic: Is it premature to say the winner of this game is basically in the Div. II playoffs? Sure it is, but we'll say it anyway.